Bolton foodbanks see a significant increase in residents seeking help

The Trussell Trust, which operates the UK's largest food bank network, says a "tsunami of need" is gripping the UK, as nationally, demand has outstripped donations for the first time.

The latest figures from the charity show 1,679 parcels were handed out at two foodbanks run by the Trussell Trust in Bolton in the six months to the end of September – up 42 per cent from 1,183 over the same period in 2021.

Cost of Living Crisis: Everything Bolton is doing to help

And for Homeless Aid UK, who support homeless people across Bolton with street kitchens, food banks and other services, have seen a large increase in the number of people needing support.

Homeless Aid UK (Image: Newsquest)

Billa Ahmed, Homeless Aid UK's co-founder, said: "Our food bank is getting more and more busier we are seeing people from different demographics, people who are not just on benefits but people that are working who are accessing our food bank.

"Everyone is feeling the pinch with the cost of living crisis and especially when it gets to the end of the month and by the time they have paid their bills they don't have much left so they are choosing between heating and eating so we have a lot more people coming.

"I have noticed that the donations have gone down because everyone is feeling the pinch.

"So I do believe others are struggling but we try to help as much as possible, so we do what we can to help other charities too.

"It's getting worse and worse now and we are seeing people end up on the streets and more people being threatened with homelessness.

"We are having people literally crying on the phone, we had one lady saying she wanted to end her life because she didn't know where to get food from.

"It's really bad out there at the moment.

"I think it is going to get a lot worse than it is now, there is a knock on effect that's going on and the cost of living is going to rise more."

Homeless Aid UK street kitchen (Image: Newsquest)

The number of parcels handed out nationwide also soared to more than 1.2 million over the same period – a 33 per cent increase on April to September 2021.

Emma Revie, chief executive at the Trussell Trust, said this winter is set to be "the hardest yet" for food banks and those they support.

She said: "We know that with the right support and a stable and sufficient income, people don’t need to turn to food banks for support.

"Over the last few years, the Government has acted to protect people who are struggling, and this action has had made a difference.

"They must now act again with swift support now to help people through the winter, and with vision for the longer-term to ensure that social security is always enough to weather challenging times."

Nationally, nearly half a million of the parcels handed out between April and September went to children.

This included 724 in Bolton – a 61 per cent rise on 451 the year before.

The soaring cost of fuel, food and heating has caused unprecedented levels of demand for support.

In the last six months, nearly 330,000 people have been referred to a food bank for the first time, the Trussell Trust says.

And a recent survey by the charity found that one in five food bank users were from working households.

A spokesperson for the Department of Work and Pensions said: “We are directly supporting households in need following the aftershocks from the pandemic and Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine, including sending another Cost-of-Living Payment this month.

“Our extensive immediate support for families also includes our Energy Price Guarantee, saving around £700 for a typical household over winter and our Household Support Fund, combined with longer-term changes such as altering Universal Credit to help people keep £1,000 more of what they earn every year.”

Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow work and pensions secretary, called the figures “staggering”.

The Labour MP said it was “frankly shameful that so many emergency food parcels are now needed to feed hungry children”.

“The Tories crashed the economy and working people are paying the price of the cost-of-living crisis engulfing families, disabled people and pensioners.”